Wednesday, August 22, 2012

No Vampires or Werewolves Allowed

The moment I started writing my Urban Fantasy novel Mad Moral I made the decision not to include any vampires or werewolves. I know vampires and werewolves play huge roles in many Urban Fantasy novels and many other genres and that’s the main reason I didn’t want to include them in Mad Moral.

I’m a big fan of vampires and werewolves, but I didn’t want to travel down a road that had been explored so many times. I decided to give a new set of beings time to shine in more humanizing roles, horror movie characters.

I’m aware the word “horror” instantly causes many to lose interest. My novel isn’t a horror, just inspired by the many elements and characters of horror movies.

Imagine as I did, horror movie villain Michael Myers dropping his children off at his parents’ house for the weekend and heading out on his first date post-divorce. After a disaster date, to blow off some steam he decides to head to the nearest college campus and slash some sorority girls. He spends the morning after sipping a cup of coffee as he watches the tragedy coverage unfold on the morning news.

That visual sparked my series about a mad world where others like the horror movie villain mentioned are your friends, neighbors and lovers.

My first main character I created was a young adult named Ford Fischer. He’s a slasher, unemployed and does his best to live a straight and narrow lifestyle. I was raised by a single mother and I consider my sister my best friend, so I had to have strong female presences in my story. Ford’s mothers play huge roles and both are bystanders or victims in this mad world I created.

Another main character is an exorcist named Sidnee Vincent whose romantic life is constantly sabotaged by pesky demons. I’m sure we all have a bit of evil in us all and she just happens to have the ability to communicate with it. My final character I included was a dreamer named Milo Amos. His identity is questioned the most by readers who haven’t started the series yet. His character enters dark nightmares every time he sleeps and must fight for his survival or risk death not only in his fantasy existence, but reality.

This novel faced the toughest set of critics yet, teenage girls. I posted it on website mostly used by those in that age range. It sometime took a lot of convincing and me constantly explaining it wasn’t entirely about blood, gore and things that go bump-in-the-night. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from these young readers who instantly started to root for my characters to overcome the madness in their lives. I encourage putting all pre-judgments aside and giving my novel, Mad Moral, the opportunity to entertain you.
Book Description
A young slasher, Ford, has struggled to fight the madness lurking in the shadowed recesses of his mind. The constant torment consumes him and threatens to topple what's left of his stability. He realizes he must find a release or his torment will lead to his utter destruction.

A stranger stalks the streets of Ford's world looking for those like him, slashers, as desired victims. Ford's life at risk, he seeks out the blade-friendly stalker throughout a coastal town with the morally conflicted mindset "slash or be slashed."

Mad Moral is the world of Ford Fischer, where in murderous stuffed animals, gigantic creepy crawlers, and much more madness are common place. Fischer, coupled with a romantically conflicted exorcist and a dreamer who redefines night terrors, leads us through a twisted world that can be best defined as one of a kind.

Mad Moral Excerpt
Chapter 4 - Comedian: Ford made his way down a narrow hallway decorated with plaques awarded to the community center, turning into the second door on the left. Inside waited familiar faces, a few socializing, few occupying themselves with their cell phones, and a pair at the snack table.

“I wish I had his smarts to attend these meetings when I was his age,” Ford said.

“Me too,” She stuffed her mouth with more food “But we‘re here now.”

Ford browsed the room for the group’s leader. “Where’s Miriam?”

Lu shrugged. “She’s not here.” She stuffed a few mini-candy bars into her jeans pockets.

“How long has everybody been waiting?”

“Half an hour.” Lu glanced at a wall clock near the entry door. “A few left. I’m about to leave myself.”

“It’s not like Miriam to miss a meeting.”

“Maybe she’s tired of the bullshit,” Lu scanned the crowd. “We all come here, sit around and lie about how we haven’t slashed in years or how we fight our will to harm others. This is all an act. I slashed a young couple three weeks ago. Be honest Ford, you’re only here to rid yourself of the guilt. Who did you slash?”

Ford tasted one of the pizza bites and spit it out. “It tastes like beef jerky.”

Lu ate a few more. “I fucking love beef jerky.”

“How about we go check on Miriam? She would do the same.”

“Because she’s a lonely old woman.”

“Yes, but she lives close by anyways,” Ford dug his keys from his pocket. “I’ll drive.”

“I suppose it’ll be more entertaining than sitting home alone petting my kitty.”

“I thought you were allergic to cats?”

She winked. “I am, now let’s go.”

As he followed her, he realized what ‘kitty’ she was referring to. He played with it once, nearly a year ago. Since that moment, they remained distant friends. It was odd dating somebody who possibly had the urge to stab you in your sleep. He loaded her pink and silver bicycle into his back seat and they drove to Miriam’s house.

The woman lived in a small trailer park that was a short drive from the downtown area. Many nights Ford skipped meetings only to receive a phone call from Miriam questioning his whereabouts. She was a kind woman even though it was rumored she slaughtered an entire sorority house back in the seventies. They arrived at the woman’s trailer, the front yard decorated with gnomes dressed as businessmen and women. The streetlights weren’t operational, the neighborhood nearly ghost town like.

Ford and Lu exited the car and headed up to her front door. He raised his clenched fist to knock only for Lu to notice the trailer door was half-ajar. It creaked as she pushed it open, Ford stepping in first. The front yard theme continued inside. No matter where they looked, a gnome was visible. There were photos, miniature figures, dishware, and plush gnomes on her couch. Ford resisted greeting them, not accustomed to silent stuffed animals.

Lu passed the kitchen area and headed to the bedroom door knocking. “Miriam, you here?”

Ford stood close behind Lu. “You missed the meeting, Miriam. Are you okay?”

Lu grabbed the door handle, sliding it sideways into the wall. Miriam’s body lay sprawled out on her bloodstained mattress, multiple stab wounds in the woman’s chest. The average person would have reacted wildly to the scene in the bedroom. Her withering face was pale, her light blue eyes opened. Ford and Lu found themselves admiring the murder scene first, mourning the loss of their group leader second.